Test Drive Unlimited 2 - Launch Trailer

Atari has released a launch trailer of their Test Drive Unlimited 2. The game has been released on February 8th, 2011 for the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Test Drive Unlimited 2 expands on the traditional racing experience providing gamers with Massively Open Online Racing; immersing drivers in a persistent online environment and revolutionising multiplayer racing communities as players compete, team up, and share their achievements and creations online. Unlike any other driving game, TDU2 blends the open world experience with realistic vehicles and performance dynamics and for the first time, TDU2 features vehicle damage, weather effects, day and night cycles, and a brand new island to explore.

rFactor 2 - Preview Tire Damage

Image Space Incorporated has released a preview screenshot of the rFactor 2 showing a visible tire wear. Click on the small picture above to see a full size (4MB) preview screenshot.

If you flatspot a tire in rFactor 2 not only will the flatspot be simulated, it'll be simulated in the spot you actually wore down. Not only that, but it will be visually represented in the spot you actually wore down.  If you are wearing out your tires and they're beginning to grain on one side, you'll see that graining on one side.Whatever damage your tire has, you'll see it, you'll feel it.

NASCAR 2011 The Game – Developer Diary: Full Seasons

Eutechnyx has released a new developer diary video of their NASCAR 2011 The Game. Eutechnyx and Activision promise to bring the full NASCAR experience home in this developer diary.

NASCAR 2011 claims to feature "the most detailed damage and collision effects ever produced in a officially licensed racing game". It will also have an online component as well as a career mode which will enable you to play as yourself or any other real-life NASCAR driver. It will include the 2010 & 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup seasons and it will feature 22 different tracks to race on.

The planned release in February has been postponed to March 29th. NASCAR 2011 The Game, will be released for the Nintendo Wii, XBox 360 and Playstation 3.

InsideSimRacing.tv - DiRT 3 Developer Interview

InsideSimRacing.tv presents a Jessica Lopez interview with Paul Coleman the Producer of DiRT 3. They talk about the subtle differences between DiRT 2 and DiRT 3 as well as the obvious changes like the addition of Gymkhana. This includes exclusive captured footage by Inside Sim Racing in addition to the interview.

rFactor 2 - Drying Line Video

Image Space Incorporated has released new preview video of the rFactor 2 weather system.

Starting out at full wet at the start of the session and scheduled to get lighter then stop raining about half way through, this is obviously a lot less random than most races racers may do when the product is released. Things to watch out for include clouds and shadows shifting (according to wind and sun direction), light coming and going according to the clouds moving overhead, the wet reflectiveness going away, the rubber build up and eventually the marbles, too. Things to note are that this is work-in-progress.

The laps to create the dry line were done with AI. When a human is driving (or the AI decides multiple lines work) where you drive actually determines where on the track is dried or rubbered in. You can see a dry and then rubber line starting to build into the pitlane as well as around the race track. There was also two incidents going into that turn which created additional skidmarks on the apex and just outside of the apex during the 1hr 30mins the footage was captured from. Usually I captured each 5 seconds just after a pack of cars had passed, the racing line would get partially wet again shortly afterwards before the next group.

InsideSimRacing.tv - Shift 2 Unleashed Developer Interview

InsideSimRacing.tv presents a Jessica Lopez interview with Jesse Abney the Producer for Need For Speed Shift 2 Unleashed. They talk in detail about Shift 2 and its gravitation towards a full blown racing sim. Also included is Shaun and Jessicas opinion of the game after getting a chance to play a very early version of it on the Fanatec GT2 wheel.

MotoGP 10/11 - Pedrosa Laguna Seca Trailer

Capcom has released a new gameplay trailer of their racing game Moto GP 10/11 showing the motorbike driver Pedrosa at Laguna Seca Raceway.

As with MotoGPTM 09/10, MotoGP 10/11 will continue to offer the most robust online mode in a racing title, allowing up to 20 players to compete in a Championship race. Gamers can choose their racing settings and join in mid-race with spectator mode to check out the competition before the race starts.

Need for Speed Shift 2 – Lighting & Damage Interview

EA Games has released a new trailer of the Need for Speed Shift 2 Unleashed highlighting details on the damage, lighting, mechanics and physics systems.

The game will ship with Autolog, an all-pervasive online hub that records race performances and lap times etc. before allowing gamers to share this info with friends. Beyond that, an all-new rendering engine has been built for Shift 2 by Slightly Mad Studios complete with a full graphical overhaul for the series. Need for Speed Shift 2 Unleashed will include the 2010 FIA GT1 World Championship & GT3 European Championship among lots of other racing content.

Need For Speed: Shift 2 Unleashed will be released on the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC. It will be available in Europe on March 10th, 2011.